Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a pre-dementia syndrome characterized by slow gait and subjective cognitive decline, increasing the risk of adverse clinical events such as dementia and falls in older adults. However, whether self-reported MCR (sMCR) predicts long-term mortality in Chinese older adults remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the role of sMCR in 8-year mortality in community-dwelling older adults.

Longitudinal cohort study.

Data were sourced from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging.

A total of 1,683 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older who were free from disability and dementia at baseline were included.

sMCR was defined based on the presence of subjective cognitive decline and self-reported slow gait. Mortality data were tracked over the 8-year follow-up period. Cox regression models were used to analyze the association between sMCR and 8-year mortality.

A total of 113 (6.71%) community-dwelling individuals had sMCR. sMCR was associated with female sex, older age, no spouse, living in rural areas, low education level, low monthly income, no work, no tea intake, poor sleep quality, inactivity, poor physical performance, chronic diseases, and frailty. Participants with sMCR had a higher 8-year mortality compared to those without (70.80% vs. 34.52%). Cox regression analysis showed that sMCR predicted 8-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.859, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.260–3.619). This association remained significant even after adjusting for sex, age, area, education level, marital status, chronic diseases, and lifestyle factors (HR = 1.540, 95% CI 1.169–2.028).

sMCR is a predictor of 8-year mortality in Chinese community-dwelling older adults, which highlights the importance of early identification and intervention for sMCR to reduce adverse clinical outcomes in the aging population.